Drilling apparatus



Jan. 16, 1934. w. JQNEWMAN DRILLING APPARATUS 2 Shets-Sheet l Filed Nov. 7, 19

Jan. 16, 1934.

w. ,1. NEWMAN DRILLING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 7, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 16, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE frequently being of one hundred feet or more in depth. Such holes are filled with concrete to provide foundations for buildings or other purposes.

The objects of the present invention are to provide an improved machine for drilling wells or holes of the character indicated; to provide a machine which may be readily manipulated to place the same in accurate position for drilling; to provide novel means for actuating the drilling shaft or pipe and for adding sections thereto or removing sections therefrom; to provide driving means for the drill pipe and means for forcing water through the pipe; and toprovlde such other mechanical features and improvements as will appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of the drilling machine;

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken .on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a detail of the boom cable adjusting device; and

Figure 5 is a detail plan view showing bars or supports in position for holding the pipe when making changes.

' The drilling machine comprises a substantial frame includingiongitudinal channel shaped base members 11 and mounted on continuous tread tractors l2 and 13. 'A motor or engine 14 is mounted in the frame and provides power for actuating the various operating parts. In practice I have used internal combustion engines for operating such machines. A driving shaft 15 is driven by the engine and its motion may be controlled by means of any suitable reversing gear or transmission as indicated at 18, having a controlling member 17. A second shaft 18 is arranged transversely of the shaft 15 and is driven therefrom by any suitable gearing and is indicated as being driven by a worm or worm gear. The shaft 18 carries a sprocket wheel 19 which is driven therefrom through a clutch '20 operated by clutch levers 21. The sprocket wheel 19 drivesa chain 22 which engages with a sprocket wheel 23 on a counter-shaft 24 carried on the lower frame members 11. The shaft 24 drives a sprocket wheel 25 which is engaged by a chain 26 that passes over a sprocket wheel 2'7 on another counter-shaft 28 at the rear of the machine. The counter-shaft 28 actuates the driving means for the endless track laying tractors l2 and 13. This comprises a sprocket wheel 29 which isdriven from the shaft 28 by a clutch 30 and drives a chain 31 which passes around a sprocket wheel 32 for driving the tread or endless tracklaying tractor 12. Another sprocket wheel 33 on the shaft 28 is actuated by a clutch 34- and drives a chain 35 which passes around a sprocket wheel 36 which drives the tread or.endless tracklaying tractor members 13. By means of this arrangement the endless tracklayin'g tractor members may be actuated either simultaneously or independently and may be driven in either direction in the usual manner.

A shaft 3''! for actuating the drill head is mounted above the shaft 15 and is driven therefrom by any suitable driving means as for instance, a link belt transmission 38, as shown in Figure l. A clutch 39 is provided for throwing the shaft 37 into and out of operation. The shaft 3'! is provided with a worm 40 which engages with a worm wheel 41 on a driving sleeve 42 which so is preferably formed integrally therewith. The sleeve 42 and worm gear 41 are mounted in a housing 43 and are preferably carried on ball bearings as indicated. The housing is formed to provide a chamber 44 for holding lubricating ma- 35 terial for the gears and has a cap 45. The housing 43 is mounted on a plate 46 on an extension 47 forming a part of the main frame.

The upper end of the driving sleeve 42 has a plurality of notches 48 for receiving lugs 49 on a driving ring 50, as shown particularly in Figures 1 and 3. The ring 50 is provided with inner keyways or slots 51 for receiving splines or driving members 52 on a drivi g pipe or cylinder 53, this pipe being provided with keyways for such splines. The driving pipe 53 is connected with and rotates the drill pipes or tubing 54, which preferably comprises heavy flanged pipe. The driving pipe 53 is provided at its lower end with a flange 55 which coacts with the flange 56 of the pipe 54, these flanges being bolted together by bolts 5'7. The drill pipe carries the drill or cutterhead (not shown) which may be of any desired form of construction, and its length is increased by adding new sections as the work progresses.

On account of the frequently enormous weight of the drill pipes and cutterhead, substantial power operated means must be provided for raising and lowering the same as well as for turning. In order to do this I provide an A-frame or boom 58 which is pivoted at 59 in the main frame and is swung or adjusted by block and tackle devices. In the arrangement shown, one block or sheave 60 is secured to the frame and another block 61 is secured to the top of the boom 58. A cable 62 is secured at one end to the block 60 and is rove around the pulleys in said blocks and passes down over a guy wheel 63 on the main frame and engages with a drum 64 secured to a shaft 65 mounted in bearings at the rear end of the frame. The shaft 65 is provided with a worm wheel 66 which coacts with a worm 67 on a shaft 68 also suitably mounted as shown. The shaft 68 is squared at one end for engagement with a crank not shown) whereby it may be turned to wind up the cable on the drum and raise the boom, or slacken the cable and permit the boom to swing forwardly. A locking pawl 69 is provided for locking the shaft 68 in adjusted position. Adjustable guy rods 70 having turn-buckles ii are arranged between the top of the irame and the front of the boom for convenience in accurately positioning the boom over the drill. By means of this arrangement, the boom may be lowered when the machine is to be moved, and the pipes readily placed in position.

The driving pipe and parts supported thereby are raised and lowered by the power actuated cable preferably arranged as shown in Figure l. The driving pipe 53 is provided with a swivel head '12 of any ordinary or preferred form of construction to permit the rotation of the pipe without turning the supporting ball 73 forming a part of the head. The pulley block 74 is secured to the bail 73 and another pulley block 25 is secured to the boom 58. A cable 26 has one end secured to the block '74 and is rove around the pulley blocks and then passes down over a guy sheave 77 on the main frame to a winding drum 78 on the shaft 16 which drum is provided with the usual friction clutch 79 for operating the same. The swivel head 72 is connected with a pipe or hose 86 from any suitable source of water supp y. the arrangement being such that water may be pumped through the hose and the driving pipe and drill pipes down to the drill or cutting mechanism.

A sprinkler ring or head 81 is positioned below the housing 43, as shown in Figure 2, and has downwardly and inwardly directed perforations so that water may be sprayed onto the pipe joints or other parts to clean the same as they are raised or withdrawn from the well. Water is supplied to the ring 81 through a pipe 82 hav= ing a valve 83 and connected with a hose 84 from any suitable source of water supply.

Although these machines are very heavy, there may be a tendency to tip the same due to the excessive weight carried at the front of the n1a= chine particularly when the well has reached considerable depth and a large number of drill pipes are connected in position. In order to prevent tipping of the frame under such circumstances, I provide slidable beams 65 at either side of the frame, which beams are mounted in the channel shaped lower frame members 11 and are held by straps or keepers 86. These beams may be drawn out, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1, so that their outer ends will rest on blocking 8'1. Such beams or out-riggers 85 thus provide an out bearing which gives a substantial support to the machine and prevents tipping of the frame on the tractors. These beams, when not in use may be slid back into the frame so that they will not interfere with the moving of the machine.

Short angle bars 88, as shown in Figure 5. are provided for holding the pipes or tubing while changes are being made. These bars are 'preferably held by means of chains 89 secured to the frame member 47 so that they will not become lost.

Whenawellistobeboredthemachineis positioned with the axis of the boring head over the center of the hole to be drilled and the drill or excavating device maybe attached directly to the driving pipe53 for making the initial cut or starting the hole. The driving sleeve 42 is turned by the driving gear from the engine 14 heretofore described, which rotates the ring 50 through the driving lugs 49 which fit in the slots 48. The ring 50 turns the driving pipe through the medi um of the spline 52 thereby rotating the drill secured to such pipe. Water is preferably forced down through the pipe to expedite the drilling operation and in some instances the hole is pref erably kept filled with water or sludge until the well is completed. The drill and driving pipe gradually move downwardly as the driding pro= coeds until the driving pipe 53 has rwched the downward limit of its movement. Thereupon. the drilling pipe is raised by means of the lifting cable 76 and a pipe section as shown at 5% is inserted between the driving pipe andthe drill. As the work proceeds other pipes are added as they become necessary When a pipe is to be inserted the driving pipe 53 and connected parts are raised until its flang 55 and the flange 56 of the pipe connecmd therewith are above the top of the driving sleeve 42 and during this movement the ring 56 is carried up out of its driving position. 'I'hesupporting bars 88 are then placed across the top of the driving sleeve, as shown in Figure 5, so that the distance between the same is approximately the same as the diameter of the pipe 54. The pipe 53 and parts connected therewith are then lowered until the flange 56 rests on the bars 88, thereby supporting the entire piping system.

As the pipes are raised, water is discharged on the flange joints from the ring 81 to clean the bolts and nuts. The bolts are then removed and the driving pipe 58 is swung over to one side and another section of drill pipe 54 is raised by the cable 76 and coacting tackle and set on top oi the section which is being held by the bars. These two are then bolted together and raised sufficiently to permit withdrawal of the bars 88 and the drill piping is then lowered for approximately the length of the last section and the bars again placed in position to engage with the top flange of the added section and hold the drill pipe while the driving pipe 53 is again raised to position and bolted to the top of the new section. The bars 88 are again removed and the piping lowered preparatory to continuation of the drilling operation. In this manner sections of drill pipe are added until the work. is completed. After the work has been completed the sections are removed by similar reverse proc ess as will be readily understood.

By means of my improved drilling apparatus large wells for foundation purposes may be drilled more etpeditiously. than by the hand method commonly employed and withlittle or no danger to the workmen, such well digging methods by manual labor being more or less hazardous as well as expensive.

While I have shown a preferred machine such. as now being used for this purpose it is obvious Mil that the general design as well as details of contill iili

struction may be modified without departing from the essential features and therefore I do not wish to restrict myself to the particular construction shown and described except as specifled in the following claims in which I claim:

1. In a drilling apparatus, the combination of a housing, means for supporting the housing, a driving sleeve mounted in said housing and having notches in the end thereof, means for turning said sleeve, a driving ring having lugs adapted to engage with said notches and having keyways therein, a pipe slidably mounted in said ring, splines on the pipe engaging with the keyways in said ring, drill pipes adapted to be connected with a drill head, and means for connecting said pipes to the first mentioned pipe.

2. In a drilling apparatus, the combination of a movable support, an engine mounted on said support, a drill head including a rotatable sleeve mounted on said support, means connecting with the engine for driving said sleeve, a flanged pipe adapted to pass through said sleeve and having a spline extending longitudinally of the same, a driving ring around said pipe having lugs engaging with notches in the driving sleeve and having a slot for receiving the spline, hoisting means adapted to be actuated by the engine for raising and lowering said pipe, a drill pipe and means for securing the drill pipe to the flange of said first named pipe.

3. An apparatus as per claim 2 having bars adapted to be positioned across the top of the driving sleeve for supporting pipe arranged therein.

4. A drilling apparatus comprising a frame, endless track laying tractors, for supporting said frame, an engine mounted on said frame, means connecting the engine with the tractors for driving the tractors, a housing mounted in said frame, a cylindrical driving member mounted in said housing and having an integrally formed worm gear thereon, a worm engaging with said gear, means connecting the worm with the engine for driving the worm, a driving ring fitting in said cylindrical member and having lugs engaging with notches in said member, a driving shaft fitting in the ring and having splines engaging with slots therein, a boom extending upwardly from the frame, means for adjusting said boom, a swivel head connected with the driving shaft, hoisting means carried by the boom and connected with the swivel head for raising and lowering the driving shaft, said hoisting means being actuated by said engine, and means for connecting drill rods to said driving shaft.

5. In a drilling machine, the combination of a frame, a drill apparatus carried by said frame, a,

pivoted boom extending upwardly from the frame, adjustable guy rods engaging with the frame and connected with one side of the boom and adapted to limit the swinging movement thereof in one direction, a block secured to the top of the boom, a second block secured to the frame at the rear of the boom, a cable rove around said blocks, a drum positioned at the back of the frame and means for manually tuming the drum for actuating the cable, said cable and coacting members being arranged on the side of the boom opposite to the guy rods and adapted to swing the boom to the position limited by said rods.

WILLIAM J. NEWMAN. 

